SLIPPY THE SEAL PUPPET by Axtell

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Seal Puppet Idea words.

Fun - Slippery Seal - Wet - Barking - Balancing Ball - Honking - Flippers - Clapping - Loves Fish - Swim - Splish Splash - Seal - Sea Lion - Fur - Sleek - Slick

Seal Information Links

Real Seal Photos

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Click for Video of Steve Axtell with Seal

In the video Steve is doing the voice of the seal and the sqeaking horns using ventriloquism. We are considering putting out an AxTrax CD providing the music, seal and horn honks. Do you want this?

PetraPuppets - X Ray the Seal. (He can see inside the bucket)
Steve shows creativity by making other magnetic props!

Baldoni & Sally!

COMMENTS and MORE IDEAS!

Now that's a cute puppet! Great job Steve!! Now all you need are some of those old style bicycle horns with the squeeze bulb as were used in the classic seal performing acts. A lot of fun could be had with that as part of the performance. One 'honk' means no! Two 'honks' means yes. And three'honks' means "you're out of your mind!" <G> Think of the dialog that could go along with that with just the right straight man (the vent) set-up lines! Cheers, Mike Brose

Bicycle horns (the bulb type) can be attached to a horizontal PVC pipe that is attached to an upright microphone stand. Have the seal honk the horn on command and then toss him a fish. I performed this in a routine at Kidabra in 2002. You can use the squeaker in the bulb or if you're a vent and can make the sound like I can, remove it and do the honk yourself! Then when the seal tries to honk the horn there is no sound....until he turns and looks at you. You can demonstrate how to honk the horn by using your free hand to honk it (making the honk sound at the correct time)...but everytime he tries it it's delayed or a different sound than a honk! It's a great gag.

David Boyd, a talented prop builder for TV, built a series of horns in a musical scale that his seal can actually play songs on. You can reach him at
702-598-1223

Bill DeMar, a famous ventriloquist, gave me an idea that I worked into my seal routine. Whenever I ask the seal if he wants a fish he shakes his head yes. I say...so you approve? He shakes his head some more...I look at him and say "I suppose that makes you the seal of approval !?".

Inside the puppet Slippy's nose is a strong magnet. The beach ball has a metal plate hidden under the vinyl, so when you toss him the ball he can catch it, or just place it on the nose and let him balance it. Remember to wiggle the puppet's head like he is trying to keep it balanced back and forth. When finished, you have him toss it to you! The momentum will release the magnetic hold on the ball.

In the Axtell video above I've made small bean bag fish about 3 inches long from green fabric. Nothin fancy because they're too small to see detail and they look real from a distance. But it really adds to the fun. I put about 10 of them in a silver pail labeled "FISH". That's setting next to me on a stool. After each trick I tell him "good boy" and pull out a fish by the body and giving the tail a wiggle which looks very realistic! Then I toss it to him (of course I toss it too high in an arch over top of him). He follows the fish with his head in a big arch and watches it land then he double takes at me for a big laugh. To make this work I don't watch the fish when I throw it. I either look back into the bucket as if getting another fish, or look out to the audience. The comedy comes from the fact that the audience sees I'm oblivious that the seal didn't get the fish. The seal barks ARF ARF and the audience knows he's upset, but I don't get it. Then I'll say something like "no, that's enough for now...I don't want you getting too full we have more tricks to do". Finally after about 5 of these bad tosses, the seal dives into the bucket and attacks the fish in a fit of hunger!

Erik"Erico" Verkooijen, European
children'e entertainer of the year,
and his seal